asylum
asylum Lexical Profile
asylum Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The protection granted by a nation to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee.
"The dissident applied for political asylum immediately upon arriving at the airport."
Shelter or protection from danger, distress, or persecution; a safe place of retreat.
"The quiet library offered a peaceful asylum from the bustling noise of the city."
An institution offering shelter and care to people who are mentally ill or destitute (now primarily historical).
"The abandoned Victorian building on the hill once served as a county asylum."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a psychiatric hospital, 'asylum' is now considered dated or historical and can carry negative connotations; modern usage favors 'psychiatric hospital' or 'mental health facility'.
• Rhymes for asylum
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Latin from Ancient Greek 'asylon' ('refuge'), the neuter form of 'asylos' ('inviolable, safe from violence'), from 'a-' ('without') and 'sylon' ('right of seizure').